Should Adagio sell Gaiwan?

I'm sorta surprised that Adagio does not sell gaiwan in their teaware section. To me this type of teaware is invaluable for tasting teas in that they don't hold or "hide" flavours and allow easy access to the tea leaves for viewing and prodding.

You know, I can understand wanting to buy gaiwans and such through Adagio, but would they really have a demand for it? Most US tea drinkers will probably brew everything in tea bags or English style, especially if they are just starting out...and Adagio seems to get a decent amount of business through 'conversions' and black tea and herbal drinkers. Gaiwans seem to be something better suited for a more Asian palate and aesthetic than most Americans have.

It may may be true that Adagio sells mainly to "tea converts" and the idea of making tea in a lidded cup will suprise some of their customers, but I think novelty and utility may speak for themselves. As well, companies that successfully introduce things like that to their customers tend to reap the benefits immediately, granted that they educate their customers well.

As for "Asian" palate and asthetics, I'm not sure if gaiwan have more of that then say, teapots. Still, drinkers of oolong and greens might want their "asthetically Asian" tea in an "asthetically Asian" tea vessel?

That being said, both of you make really excellent points that I have not thought obout. The tea situation in North American, and indeed, many western countries is surprisingly sad. About the only thing you can smell when you walk into a "tea shop" are the zealously perfumed black tes and "herbal" mixtures that they sell. And what's with those plastic tea infusers?

I could certainly see Adagio now adding a white high quality porcelain Gaiwan to their line up! Especially with the TeaRetailer project.

Why stop there, a tea shop w/o Kyusu?!? Has to be authentic Japanese though, no Chinese knockoffs!!! An all white quality Japanese teaset with cups, water cooler and of course a the traditional perpendicular handled Kyusu with a quality screen at the spout, no infuser basket ...

Not that I'm actually curious, I just have little to no knowledge of specialized teaware (I consider things made for brewing one type of tea specialized).

If you consider "Chinese" as one type, then I guess a Gaiwan is specialized. It in essence a lidded cup, where you can either prepare a tea in a more old fashioned way (Typically a green, white or yellow) by brewing it in the gaiwan and drinking directly from it using the lid and your lips to strain.

Or you can use it for basically all other chinese teas, and you hold it in a certain way and pour carefully to hold back the leaves and let the water flow into cups/faircup.

Not that I'm actually curious, I just have little to no knowledge of specialized teaware (I consider things made for brewing one type of tea specialized).

If you consider "Chinese" as one type, then I guess a Gaiwan is specialized. It in essence a lidded cup, where you can either prepare a tea in a more old fashioned way (Typically a green, white or yellow) by brewing it in the gaiwan and drinking directly from it using the lid and your lips to strain.

Or you can use it for basically all other chinese teas, and you hold it in a certain way and pour carefully to hold back the leaves and let the water flow into cups/faircup.

I have heard of people successfully using them for non chinese teas.

Ah. I was under the impression they are used just for green teas. I have been illuminated!

Thanks for the information. That first method (lip-straining) sounds very interesting...but just one question: what is "faircup"? I've never heard that term before.

Instead of pouring straight from the gaiwan/pot into cups often the liquor is pored into a faircup first and then distributed into the cups. It helps to ensure everyone gets a similar cup of tea, it wouldn't be fair if one person got the weak first part of the decant and one person got the overly strong last part of the decant.

Alternatively you can pour into the cups directly or in a circular motion to ensure everyone gets a similar cup of tea.